We continue to be really busy in our computing lessons, and children are really enjoying their learning. In Fardings, children are coding an adventure game on Purple Mash. Leylands are making their own animations, using a technique called ‘onion skinning’ where they have to draw each scene, making the character move a little bit each time. In Sandypits,, children are coding and using a timer as part of their code. Taylors use ‘mini mash’ as part of their continuous provision.
We also have our weekly coding club and at the moment, children are learning to code microbits. So far, we’ve made the microbit show our names, move from a big heart to a small heart, track our steps and even take the temperature. I’ve been incredibly impressed by children’s skills and determination with the microbits. It’s been a great resource.
Throughout the year, children have built on their learning using the Essex Agreed syllabus. Children are learning to develop their religious literacy by having balanced and well-informed discussions about different religions and worldviews. All children have recently had an assembly by ‘Hinduism Education Services’ on showing respect in Hinduism. Year 5 and 6 continued this during a full day workshop, as an introduction to Hinduism for their upcoming RE big question.
Our summer ‘big questions’ are:
EYFS – What happens in a church?
KS1 – Why are symbols and artefacts important to some people?
LKS2 – What difference does being a Muslim make to daily life?
UKS2 – How has belief in Hinduism impacted on music and art through history?
Children in EYFS enjoyed their introduction to PE in the first half of the autumn term but have now moved on to Dance, in which they have been exploring different body parts and how they move, and looking at repeated actions. Year 1 and 2 improved their ball skills before half term and have now moved on to Dance. All Years in KS2 initially learned netball skills and are also now looking at Dance: Fardings are creating rock’n’roll dances whereas Leylands are developing machine-type dances.
So far this year, we have had two groups of children successful in tournaments. Our Tag Rugby team took second place in a tournament in Writtle and our Ten pin Bowling team came first in a tournament in Braintree. All the children represented our school amazingly.
Unfortunately, the year 5/6 Cross Country tournament was postponed due to weather conditions but has been rescheduled for January 2024. James, our lunchtime coach, has agreed to support the children with their training for this. James also did a couple of training sessions for years 2, 3 and 4 who will be having their tournament next Thursday. We wish them luck!
You may have realised by now that I have taken over as PE Lead from Mr Sime! It has been good fun so far and I look forward to taking PE forwards in the future.
Maths is off to a flying start this term with all classes having an initial focus on Place Value. Tiny the Turtle is trying to help in Sandypits and Leylands. However, he usually gets his maths wrong and needs the children to teach him what to do! I’m very excited that Mrs Roberts and Miss Chard have been trained to deliver Mastering Number. This is a programme to help our Reception Year 1 and 2 children become confident and fluent mathematicians. In Taylors, maths will be delivered through Mastering Number but in Sandypits, the children will be having ordinary maths lessons, as well as Mastering Number sessions. The programme is linked to Numberblocks, which the children love. The children are also very excited about using our new rekenreks. Year 5 and 6 children have been working hard to develop their maths fluency. Ask the children what they’ve been up to….
Geography continues to be an exciting lesson for pupils at Terling Primary school. Children at Terling enjoy finding out about different countries, cities and how it compares to their own home. Throughout this term, EYFS have been learning about themselves and their local environment. Year 1 and 2 have learnt about the 7 continents and remembered a fantastic song to help with this. They have had a very exciting visit from Arctic explorer and will be learning about an Arctic village, Tuktoyatuk. Year 3 and 4 will be locating some European countries and capital cities. They have focused on Italy, learning how tourism can impact physical geography. Year 5 and 6 are learning about the G7 countries and Russia, with a focus on Greece. They will be comparing Greece to the UK, learning about tourism and the difference in climate.
In Terling, art is everywhere:
Art is everywhere,
In our words and on our walls,
We are artists here.
We learn from artists,
Inspired by their methods,
We flourish and shine
We talk about art,
In our lessons, and at lunch,
In picture news too.
You will find our art
In sketchbooks and on display,
Proudly being shown.
Here at Terling school,
We learn, practice and produce.
We celebrate art!
Writing at Terling
Writing is improving everywhere we turn,
So many types of writing, so many things to learn.
Both fiction and non-fiction flourish every day
Poetry and plays imagined in a special way.
In Taylor’s class our phonics knowledge grows at lightning speed.
We learn to shape our sentences and share them as we read.
Imagination flowing as we talk about each text,
We’re writing down instructions now, whatever will come next?
In Sandypits our writing skills just go from strength to strength!
Phonics knowledge deepens, we’re spelling more at length.
A losing story, shape poems and non-fictional styles,
Have shown so much improvement, it goes on for miles and miles.
In Leyland’s Class it’s been the task to write some great description.
We’ve written stunning guide books to illustrate non-fiction.
A cinquain is a poem where the syllables need counting,
Now we’re writing warning stories, the tension keeps on mounting.
In Fardings class there is a sense of triumph in our choices.
We’ve written and developed to improve our writing voices.
Debates or writing poetry, an adventure on a quest,
But the narrative about the piano has produced our very best.
Writing is improving everywhere we turn,
So many types of writing, so many things to learn.
Both fiction and non-fiction flourish every day
Poetry and plays imagined in a special way.
In Taylors, an understanding of history begins by looking at our families and those that came before us. Before half-term, Sandypits continued this theme by thinking about how their lives are different to those of their grandparents. They drew a timeline that shows the important events in their own lives so far. Sandypits have also been learning some key words that help with their understanding of history, such as civilisation, monarchy, democracy and parliament.
Leylands have travelled back in time to prehistory, looking at the Stone Age and the Bronze Age. They have been doing lots of exciting activities to help them imagine what life would have been like for the people in those times. They have using their history skills to analyse primary and secondary sources to give them clues about life in the past. Leylands are also thinking about Mary Anning, a famous palaeontologist, and have been handling different kinds of fossils.
Fardings are currently looking at the Victorian era to give them some context about the Industrial Revolution and the development of electricity. Before half-term, they were learning about Charles Darwin and his contribution to science through his book, Origin of Species. Darwin – as a significant historical figure - fits neatly into our timeline of Victorians. Next week, Fardings will be visiting the Museum of Power in Langford to gain more of an insight into the impact that electricity has had on our lives, as well as thinking about what life was like beforehand.
This half term, we have lots of wonderful lessons and activities happening within our Science learning.
In Taylors, the children have been exploring their natural environment and have been making observations of what they see, hear and feel. On a recent local walk, they spotted a tree that had fallen down in the strong winds and were able to ask questions and talk about why and how this had happened. They spoke about the different parts of the tree, including the roots that had been exposed.
In Sandypits, the children have been very busy learning about everyday materials and their properties. They have been on a material hunt within their classrooms and at the end of this half term they will explore the big question: Why aren't cars made of cardboard?
In Leylands, the class are developing their understanding of animals and humans and comparing the similarities and differences between them. This includes learning about deer and pheasants, which are often seen in our local environment. They have just finished learning about teeth and are soon moving on to food chains.
In Fardings, the children have set off on a journey to outer space this term and are learning all about the earth's movements in space and our solar system. They will be constructing a model of the solar system at the end of this unit and we can't wait to see them!
Finally, next week we have a wonderful opportunity to explore a portable planetarium, where the children will have the experience of going to outer space themselves. This links to the transport and travel topics that EYFS and KS1 are exploring and will deepen the understanding of the space topic for the children in Fardings. We would like to thank the FOTS team for organising such a wonderful scientific experience for all the children at Terling.
We have been so excited to launch ‘myHappymind’ at school this term. It forms part of our PSHE curriculum, complimenting and adding to our existing plans. This half term, as it has just been launched, we have all started with the first module ‘Meet my brain’. Children have already learnt about their brains, including team H-A-P. See if your children can tell you what it stands for! There is also a parent app so please make sure you access that (details were shared on a separate Parentmail). We’d be interested in any feedback on the app so let us know what you think.
After half term, each class will start their Relationships Education lessons and resources will be shared with parents in advance, so look out for the parentmail.
Each year, we review our PSHE policy and were very grateful for the parents who attended our Parent Forum on 8 May to share their thoughts and ideas. It was a really useful discussion and the revised policies will be on the school website by the end of this month.
There have been so many highlights since the Autumn term, raising the profile of music across the school and into the community. In January the choir went to the O2, where they had a wonderful time singing with a group of 9000 children and professional musicians. The choir recently performed in our community, where they sung at the Terling Open Gardens. They were absolutely amazing!
Fardings class took part in the Braintree Sings festival and did the school and our community proud. The class learned several songs during music lessons and delivered them with joy and energy even when they were nervous. For many children this was the first time performing in a proper theatre.
During the weekly music assemblies, the children have learned many new songs, which they have sung during church assemblies. Everyone has participated in learning to sign while singing and have been singing in two parts or in harmony.
Each class has had the opportunity to learn about the instruments in the orchestra and to experiment with sounds to reproduce their own impressions of pieces of classical music. The children are learning to compose and create their own music and share it with others.
To finish out this year, Fardings will be performing their class musical ‘Mission Implausible’ and there will be a memorial service in honour of Mrs McNamara, where the whole school will be singing 2 songs especially for her. Last but not least, we will end the year with the leaver’s service at the church where music will play an integral part.
This half term, we are all learning from the “I am learning Spanish” unit from Language Angels.
In Taylors, children are learning the numbers from 1 to 10 using Spanish songs and repeating them in their day to day activities. Can your child count from 1 to 10 yet?
Sandypits are reviewing ‘los números’ (1-10) through counting and using them in conversation. They have been learning the responses to the questions ¿Cómo te llamas?
and ¿Cómo estás?
Across Leylands and Fardings, children have been using their previous knowledge of answering ¿Cómo te llamas? and ¿Cómo estás?
by putting their responses into a conversation. They have also been using games and crossword to write ‘los números’.
Each month, Señora Meares leaves us a Spanish challenge. Do you know what this says?
13 - 17 November 2023 was Anti-Bullying week and the theme this year was 'Make a noise about bullying.'
To raise awareness and mark this week in school, the Multi School's Council came in to school to deliver an assembly on bullying. All children engaged in class discussions about bullying and the effects this can have on a person's mental health and emotional wellbeing. We then had an assembly on the importance of self-care and how this is important for us to do, in order to take care of our mental health and wellbeing. The children were all wonderfully open and empathetic as they discussed such important issues. Well done
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